Traveling scaffold.



T. H. SGHLARMANN.

TRAVBLING SOAFFOLD.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 3, 1909. 950,350. Patented Feb.22, 1910.

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T. H. SCHLARMANN. TRAVELING SCAFFOLD. APPLIoAgIoN FILED APR. a, 1909 w; 9m 2. Fm fr du *0 m u Lw J1. M f ,f Q .1% Y .mi 0. mw W O, 5 9.

Mmmm y W 5&1 I Y mw WMWMW THEODORE H. SCHLARMANN, OF BREESE, ILLINOIS.

TRAVELING SCAFFOLD.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 3, 1909.

atented Feb. 22, 1910.

Serial No. 487,657.

To all 'whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, Tnnononn I-I. Sci-imn- MANN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Breese, in the county of Clinton and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Traveling Scaffolds, of which the following is a specification.

This invention provides means whereby the work of linemen in repairing and clearing telegraph and telephone wires of obstructions, is rendered less hazardous.

The invention consists of a platform provided with rotary supports and hangers, both adapted to travel upon the wires, so as to distribute the weight and insure safety to the workmen.

The invention also consists of the novel features details of construction and combinations of parts which hereinafter will be more particularly set forth, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and outlined in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings forming a part of the specification: Figure l is a front view of a hanging scaffold embodying the invention and showing the same in operative position. Fig. 2 is a top plan view. Fig. 3 is an end View, an intermediate portion of the hangers being broken away. Fig. 4 is a to plan view of the scaffold, the hangers being folded and end portions of the platform broken away. Fig. 5 is a front view of the invention with the parts in the same relation as illustrated in Fig. 4,. Fig. 6 is a detail view showing more clearly one of the rotary supports.

Like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

The scaffold comprises in its organization a platform l, a plurality of rotary supports and hangers. The platform 1 may consist of a board of any length or width, the same being strengthened transversely to prevent splitting and warping by means of pairs of irons 2 and 3. The irons 2 and 3 are of different lengths, the iron 2 being shorter than the iron 3, and the pairs of irons being oppositely disposed, as indicated most clearly in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, whereby the short iron 2 of one pair is located near one edge of the platform and the short iron of the other pair arranged near the opposite edge. In other words the long irons 3 are disposed at diagonally opposite sides and the short irons 2 have a similar arrangement. The inner ends of the irons 2 and 3 of each pair are bent about at a right angle, as indicated at l, the bent ends being transversely apertured to receive a bolt or like fastening 5 by means of which the irons are connected.

Hangers (S are pivotally connected at their lower ends with the pairs of irons, each consisting of a bar or strap iron having an eye at its lower end to receive the bolt or fastening 5 and having its opposite end re-bent to form a hook 7, which receives a grooved wheel 8 mounted upon a bolt or fastening 9 passing through transversely alined openings formed in the bent end 7, and in the opposing' portion of the body of the hanger. The grooved wheel S forms a rotary traveling support to engage an elevated wire, as indicated .most clearly in Fig. l. By having the pairs of irons 2 and 3 oppositely disposed, as herein specified, the hangers G have a staggered arrangement so as to fold upon the platform without interference, as indicated most clearly in Fig. el. This construetion also materially strengthens the platform and insures one of the irons overlapping the grain of the wood opposite the space formed between the inner ends of the other pair of irons. By having the hangers pivotally connected with the platform they are enabled to fold close upon the same so as to be out of the way and enable the device as a whole being easily and conveniently handled or stored in a small space when not required for immediate use.

The rotary supports arranged beneath the platform are of like formation each consisting of a pair of angle brackets l0 and a grooved wheel 1 1.. The brackets comprising each pair are spaced apart a distance to receive a grooved wheel, and the members placed against the platform l are apertured to receive bolts or rivets l2. The members embracing opposite si'des of the groove wheel are transversely apertured to receive a bolt or axle 13 upon which the grooved wheel 11 is mounted to rotate freely. It is to be observed that in arranging the parts care must be exercised to arrange the irons 2 and 3 so that the fastenings Iii connecting the same to the platform do not interfere with the fastenings 12 securing the bracket-s 10 thereto. The rotary supports are provided in pairs, as indicated most clearly in Fig. 3, thereby supporting the platform squarely upon the wires and preventing possible rocking or tilting' thereof which would endanger' l supports upon theunder side of the platthe workmen perched thereon.

1n the practical operation of the invention it is proposed to mount the platform upon the lowermost wires, of a series strung` upon poles, to have the hangers G pass upward between the wires and the grooved wheels 8 engaged with upper wires, thereby distributing the weight and strain, with the result that t-he workmen may proceed with repairs, or the removing of branches or limbs of trees or other obstructing mattei' with comparative safety. The "invention obviates the necessity for the erection of extension or other types of ladders to reach the aerial wires for splicing, or making other repairs, or to remove anything that may obstruct or tend to divert apart of the current. After the scaffold has once been elevated and placed upon the wires it may be moved from one pole to the other by the workman mounted thereon pulling` upon the wires as will be readily understood. Upon reaching a pole it is necessary to disengage the scaffold from the wires and move it to the opposite side of the pole and again place it in position. This, result may be quickly effected. It is to be remembered that the scaffold is exceedingly light because the platform in the preferable construction consists of a wooden plank, and the several mountings or irons fitted thereto may be of such structure as not to render the device excessively heavy to prevent its free handling. When not in use, or when handling or transporting, the hangers 6 are folded close upon the platform thereby enabling the device to be conveniently manipulated and to occupy a small amount of space when laid aside. The reference numeral 15 in Fig. l indicates a group, or plurality of telephone or telegraph wires with the platform in operative position with reference thereto.

VFrom the foregoing taken in connection with the accompanying drawings it will be understood that the invention supplies a contrivance which lessens the labor of linemen when repairing telephone or telegraph wires or when trimming trees or removing other obstructing matter as also renderingv this work less hazardous because the workmen may proceed with repairs with a degree of sureness of safety since the platform is supported by a plurality of wires which in the aggregate prevent the concentration of the load upon any one or two of the wires.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is :m

l. A traveling scaffold for linemen comprising a platform, a plurality of rotary form to engage a lower series of telegraph or telephone wires of a group, and a series of hangers extending upward from the platform to engage certain overhead wires of `said group of telegraph or telephone wires.

2. A traveling'v scaffold for linemen comprising a platform, a plurality of rotary supports provided in pairs upon the underside of the platform to engage a series of telegraph or telephone wires ofv a group to support the platform in approximately horizontal position, and a series of hangers near the opposite ends of the platformr to engage certain overheadV wires of said group of telegraph or telephone wires to supplement the action of the pairs of rotary supports.

8. A traveling scaffold comprising a platform, hangers arranged upon the upper side of the platform in staggered relationV and having pivotal connection. therewith, whereby said hangers may fold close upon the platform without interfering one with the other.

4C. A traveling scaffold comprising a wooden plank constituting a platform, and pairs of irons extended transversely across the plank and secured thereto, the irons of each pairbeing of unequal.A length, and the irons of one pair being arranged oppositely to the iro-ns of the other pair, and the pairs of irons having their ends bent upwardly about at a right angle and transversely apertured,` bolts or fastenings passing through the apertures in the bent ends of each pair ofv irons and connecting the same, and hangers mounted upon said bolts or fastenings and adapted to fold upon the platform.

5. The herein described traveling scaffold comprising a wooden plank, pairs of rotary supports applied to the under side of the plank at intervals in its length, each rotary support consisting of a pair of ang'le brackets and a grooved wheel mounted upon a fastening connecting spaced members of the brackets, pairs of irons secured to the upper side of the plank, the irons of each pair being of unequal length. and the irons arranged in opposite directions and having their inner ends bent upward about at a right angle, fastenings connecting the bent ends of the irons, and hangers pivotally mounted upon said fastenin'gs, each hanger consisting of a bar having an eye at one end, and having its opposite end rebent and`provided with a groovedwheel.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.-

THEODORE H'.v SCHLARMANN. lVitnesses FRANK B. SoHwINJoHN, PHILIP H. REPPLE. 

